Last-minute Christmas shoppers at the Coconut Point Mall in Estero, Florida, were in for a surprise as police and wildlife officials responded to reports of a massive alligator swimming in a nearby pond.
According to the Lee County Sheriff’s Office, the authorities were called to the outdoor shopping center where the reptile was found wandering among the palm-studded surroundings.
Deputies arriving at the scene encountered the huge 12-foot, 600-pound alligator, a spectacle that drew the attention of both shoppers and law enforcement.
The Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) confirmed that the state record for the length of an American alligator is 14 feet, 3.5 inches, held by a male gator from Lake Washington in Brevard County, putting this gator near the top of the list.
In a video obtained by FOX 35, the reptile is seen by the water’s edge, with deputies cautiously approaching.
The situation escalated as FWC officials joined forces with law enforcement to capture the gator, eventually loading it onto a truck as onlookers looked on.
Authorities later revealed that the deputies successfully relocated the alligator to safer waterways. Due to its size, the gator is believed to be an older specimen.
“He’s massive!” exclaimed the sheriff’s office in a social media post. “They’re saying he could be pretty old, too, based on weight/length.”
The Lee County Sheriff’s Office added a touch of humor to the situation, stating on their social media pages: “There is never a dull moment while on patrol here in Lee County, eh?” They went on to joke that if anyone is “chompin’ at the bit to join the team,” they promise to provide excitement and a great workout at #TeamLCSO.
In a Facebook post, the sheriff’s office provided a lighthearted account of the incident.
“Just moments ago, Sergeant Toslluku, Deputy Cevertus, and Deputy Roedding were called to a 12-foot, SIX-HUNDRED POUND gator at Coconut Point Mall!!! Our friends with MyFWC Florida Fish and Wildlife responded to the scene and, in a joint effort, got this massive guy to safety!” the department wrote.
